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From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi

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From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience By Shamsur Rahman Faruqi ItisanhonourtodelivertheAnnualSirSyed Memorial Lecture at Aligarh Muslim University, the institutionwhichshouldstandasSirSyedAhmadKhan’s lastingcontributiontothedevelopmentofamodernIndia. ConsciousthoughIamofthehonour,Iamalsobesetby doubtsandfearsaboutmysuitabilityasarecipientofthat honour.IamnotaspecialistofSyedAhmadKhan’sliterary workandsocialandtheologicalthought,thoughtwhich, incidentally,Iregardasahighpointinthehistoryofideasin Islam.MyinterestinandknowledgeofSyedAhmadKhan’s lifeandworksdonotmuchexceedthelevelofareasonably well-informed student of modern Urdu literature. TheonlyprivilegethatIcanclaimisthatasaboyI waspracticallynurturedonSyedAhmadKhanandAkbar Ilahabadi(1846-1921)whommyfatheradmiredgreatlyand didn’tatallseeanydichotomyinadmiringtwoverynearly diametricallyopposedpersonalities.Andthisreconciliation ofoppositeswasquiteparforthecourseforpeopleof certainIndiangenerations,becauseSyedAhmadKhanand AkbarIlahabaditoogreatlyadmiredeachother.SyedAhmad KhanhadsuccessfullycanvassedforAkbarIlahabadibeing postedtoAligarhsothathecouldfreelyenjoyhisfriend’s company. In 1888, when Akbar Ilahabadi was promoted Sub- JudgeandtransferredtoGhazipur,SyedAhmadKhanwrote himacongratulatorynotesayingthatthoughhewassorry forAkbar(headdressedhimasMunshiAkbarHusainSahib) toleaveAligarh,yethewashappyforaMuslimtobecomea Sub-Judgewithalongprospectofactiveserviceinthe judicial department.1 ThroughouthislifeAkbarIlahabadiwasabittercritic andaverynearlyimplacableenemy,ofSyedAhmadKhan’s reformistideas.HishostilitytoSyedAhmadKhanwasn’t 1 Syed Ahmad Khan, Maktubat, Vol. I, p. 43. From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience, By Shamsur Rahman Faruqi becauseof whatMuhammadAliSiddiqicharacterizesas Akbar’s“cynicism”andhistendencyto“viewthetruth throughthespectaclesofhisownprejudices.”2 Akbar’s hostilitytoSyedAhmadKhanflowedfromadeeperand more vital source: he did not approve of Syed Ahmad Khan’s educational,theological,andpoliticalideasandschemesand believedthatSyedAhmadKhanhadcausedincaculable intellectual and spiritual harm to the Indian Muslim community.3 MuhammadAliSiddiqigoesontosaythat AkbarIlahabadidevelopedsoftfeelingsforSyedAhmad Khanafter1894.4 YetweseeAkbarIlahabadi makinga collectionfromfriendsandacquaintancesin1891forthe Building Fund of the M. A. O. College.5 Idigressedalittletomentionthesetransactions becauseSyedAhmadKhan,foravastmajorityofIndian Muslimsuntilatleastthesecondquarterofthetwentieth century,wasasaviour,asage,a political-socialleaderof tremendouscredibility.Histheologydidn’tenterintothe matteratall.Myfathercamefromafamilyofstrongly DeobandiMaulavis,but SyedAhmadKhan’ssocalled nechariyat (atheism)countedfornothingintheireyes,justas itcountedfornoughtintheeyesofmymother’sfamilywho werestronglyanti-Deobandinboththeologicalandpolitical matters.Mygrandfather’stheologicalmooringswerein Deoband.Nonetheless,in1914hesenthissecondand perhapsthebrightestsontotheM.A.O.Collegetoreadfor hisB.A.andLawdegrees.Andthisbringsmetomysecond claimtosomeprivilegeintalkingaboutSyedAhmadKhan: MaulaviMuftiMuhammadIsma’il(1803-1888),agreat- grandfatherofmymother’s,wasamongSyedAhmadKhan’s friendsduringthelatter’stenureinBanarasfromAugust 1867toApril1869andagainafterhisreturnfromEngland. MuftiSahibwroteafewtractsonIslaminrefutationofthe Christian Missionaries at the request of Syed Ahmad Khan.6 Ibeganwithtwoapparentdigressions,butthey actuallycontainoneofthemainpointsofmyessay.Syed AhmadKhanmademanyenemiesandmanyfriendsand admirers.AliBakhshShararBadayuni(1821-1885)isan exampleofaconsistentandacrimoniousenemy,justasAltaf HusainHali(1837-1914)isanexampleofahero-worshipping followerandfriend.Sharar’svenomousunfriendlinessdidn’t 2 Siddiqi, P. 47. 3 For some details of Akbar Ilahabadi’s views on Syed Ahmad Khan’s reformist agenda, see my The Power Politics of Culture: Akbar Ilahabadi and the Changing Order of Things. 4 Siddiqi, pp. 50-52. 5 Syed Ahmad Khan, Maktubat, Vol. I, p.44. 6 Maulavi Abdul Qadir, p. 32. 2 From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience, By Shamsur Rahman Faruqi preventanyofhisdirectclanfromgainingthebenefitsand advantagesofanAligarheducation,andHali’sacceptanceof SyedAhmadKhan’smildpoliticsdidn’tstopanyofHali’s direct clan from becoming Congressmen or Marxists. SyedAhmadKhan’sgeneralpopularityacrossthe board of Indian Muslim society suggests two things: First, the IndianMuslimwasgenerallyabletoseparatethefounder’s theology fromhiseducationalpolicyandwaswillingto obtaineducationattheM.A.O.Collegesolongasitdidn’t preachatheismortrytoconvertitspupilstoChristianity. Second,SyedAhmadKhangavetotheIndianMuslima senseofgrandpurposeandastrongandconvincingsignal forturninginanewandsalubriousdirection.SyedAhmad Khanthusgavehimafeelingofself-worth,andahopefora returntothestateofself-confidencewhichhadbeenlost apparentlyforeverintheaftermathofwhatSyedAhmad Khandescribedas“TheIndianRebellion”,andnot“The IndianMutiny”or“TheIndianTreason”,thepreferredterm with the English government. Contrary to the culture of sycophancy and genuflectingbeforethecolonialEnglishauthoritypromoted bytheBritishandfreelyadoptedbytheIndiansatthattime, bothSyedAhmadKhanandhishigh-profileandbrilliantson SyedMahmudstrivedtoconductthemselvesasiftheywere equaltotheEnglish.TheincidentoftheAgraDurbarof 1867wasquitewell-knowntotheIndiancommunity,and notjusttheMuslims.SyedAhmadKhanhadstayedaway fromtheDurbarbecause Indianshad beengivenseats inferiorto theEnglish.Amedalwastobeconferredon Syed Ahmad Khan at that Durbar. Williams, the CommissionerofMeerutwaslaterdeputedtopresentthe medaltoSyedAhmadKhan atAligarhrailwaystation. Williamsbrokeprotocolandshowedhispiqueathavingto dothetaskunderduressandsaidthathewasboundby Governmentorders,orhewouldn’tbepresentingthemedal toSyedAhmadKhan.SyedAhmadKhanacceptedthe medal,sayingthat hewouldn’thaveacceptedthemedal, exceptthathetoowasboundbyGovernmentorders.7 SyedAhmadKhanhostedadinneratBanarasin 1872tohonourSyedMahmudwhenhereturnedfrom EnglandafterhavingbeencalledtothebaratLincoln’sInn. AlexanderShakespeare,CommissionerofBanaras,presided. WhilerespondingtoShakespeare’stoast,SyedMahmud spoke of his wish 7 Hali, pp. 52-54 (of pt. 2). 3 From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience, By Shamsur Rahman Faruqi [T]ouniteEnglandandIndiasociallyevenmorethan politically.TheEnglishruleinIndia,inordertobe good,mustpromisetobeeternal;anditcanneverdo sountiltheEnglishpeopleareknowntousasfriends and fellow subjects, than as rulers and conquerors.8 The Pioneer, where report of this dinner was published,doesn’trecordthealarmthatShakespeareand otherEnglishmenpresentmusthavefeltatthis.ButSyed Mahmudhadmadehispoint.Andhemadeitagainwhen,on becomingaHighCourtJudgeatAllahabad(1882)atthe youngageof32,hesubmittedaMemorialtoGovernmentto theeffectthatsincehewasEnglishexceptinnameand parentage,heshouldbetreatedonparwithBritishjudges. (SyedMahmud’sEnglishcontemporariessaidthathis mastery of English idiom was of an incredible precision.)9 In1875,MaulaviMushtaqHusain(1841-1917),who asIntisarJangVaqar-ul Mulk becameahighofficialin HyderabadandaprominentIndianMuslimmuchactivein theaffairsoftheM.A.O.CollegewasaTahsildarina districtwhoseCollectorroutinelyobjectedtohistakinga shortrecessforafternoonprayers.MushtaqHusainsought SyedAhmad’sadvice.HereiswhatSyedAhmadwrotein reply: NamazisobligatoryuponusfromGod.Wemay dischargeitillorwell,giventheinfamyofour actions,butweresomeonetosay,donotdothe namaz,wewon’tstanditforamoment.Suchtalkis impossibleeventobeheard.Inmybelief,notdoing namazisjustasinwhichcanbeexpectedtobe pardonedbyGod.Butnottodonamaz,orpostpone itbecauseofsomeone’sbehestisinmyviewasin whichwillneverbepardoned.Yououghttohavein thebeginningitselfadoptedacourseofconductthat wouldn’thaveletthingstocometosuchapass. Andifyoudidn’tdoitatthattime,thenwhythis abjectbeggingandflabbyentreatynow?Itwas absurdandcontemptibletoplead,‘Pleaseatleast grantmeleave,myhonorablesir!’‘Youmaysuitably dockmypayifyouplease!’Tohurlyourresignation athimwasthethingtodo,andtohavesaidplainly,‘ IwillobeythecommandofmymagnificentLord, GodtheOmninpotent,andnotyours.’Sowhat wouldhavebeentheconsequence?Youwouldn’t havehadajob?Youwouldhavestarvedtodeath? 8 Lelyveld, 2004. 9 Lelyveld, 2001. 4 From Antiquary to Social Revolutionary: Syed Ahmad Khan and the Colonial Experience, By Shamsur Rahman Faruqi That would have been an extremely good consummation. Peace be upon you.10 ItmustberememberedthataTahsildarmayhave beenaminorfunctionaryinthegeneralschemeofthings, buthiswasajobhighlyregardedanduniversallyprizedin colonialIndia.Quittingsuchajob,andthattooonthe ‘meagre’issueofafternoonprayerswouldgenerallyhave beenonsideredtobesomethingcausedbyasofteningofthe brain.ForSyedAhmadtohavegivensuchadviceandfor MushtaqHusaintohaveaccepteditwerebothactsofhigh moralcourageandprove,ifsuchproofwereatallneeded, thatSyedAhmadgavetotheIndianMuslimasenseofworth and self-respect otherwise rare at that time. SyedMahmudwasobligedtoresignhisjudgeship (1893).SyedAhmadKhanissuedalongstatementtoan Urdunewspaper onthatoccasion,assertingthatthemain reasonwhySyedMahmudcouldn’tcontinueintheservice wasthattheEnglishrobtheirIndiancivilservantsoftheir “self-respect”. He said: Inmyopinionthetimeisnotyet,andwillperhaps neverbe,thatourEuropeanfriendswhoarethe conquerorsofthiscountryandwhohavethe ascendancyandsuperioritynaturaltotheconqueror, andIndians,whoarethevanquishedandareheldin thecontemptnaturalforthevanquished,canbothsit
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